Bravado
by abandonship
Summary: Artie has his first meeting with Emma and it causes him to think about whether he should have given up so easily on dancing with Tina. Two-shot
1. Bravado

Artie sat in the middle of the hallway of the school just staring. There weren't very many students around to rush him so he just sat there. Down the hall was Ms. Pillsbury's office. He knew he had to go in there at least once for these mandatory visits or she will think there was _definitely _something wrong with him if he skipped. Why was he nervous anyway? He was fine now. Back to his cheery never-going-to-walk-again self.

He slowly inched forward and stopped again. The truth was he felt really nervous about this. The last time he was in there turned out to be embarrassing and crushing and he didn't really want to think about it. He thought again about how it probably would not help if he skipped and that was his motivation to finally enter.

"Hi Artie," Ms. Pillsbury said with a smile. Artie only nodded with a small smile and cleared his throat.

There was an awkward silence as he stopped just in front of her desk. Ms. Pillsbury put her hands together on her desk, switching to professional mode.

"I have arranged for you to have meetings with me for a couple of weeks because I...and some other members of the faculty...have been somewhat worried about you and want to make sure you're okay."

Artie's eyes flickered up at the mention of "other members."

Ms. Pillsbury bit her lip nervously. "Um, Mr. Schuester noticed...a change during rehearsals for your song and he was concerned about it."

The confusion on Artie's face disappeared, but he still didn't say anything.

The guidance counselor tried again, gently. "Did that have some connection to your last visit to me? Maybe you could, um, start with that?"

Artie became occupied with a strap on one of his gloves. "Sort of," he muttered. "I decided to accept that I can't dance and watching Tina with Mike was a little more jarring than I thought, I guess. No big deal. Not anymore." Jeez, this lady's eyes were staring into his soul.

Ms. Pillsbury took a breath. "You sound bitter for someone who's 'accepted' something."

Artie rolled his eyes.

"Artie, acceptance has to be about being happy and comfortable about yourself-"

"I_ am_!" Artie said with so much irritation that it caused her to jump and him to feel a little guilty. "I mean...ack!" He rested an elbow on his armrest and put his palm over his face. He took a few minutes before speaking again.

"I mean, I_usually _am. Especially after joining Glee. Yeah, it's frustrating when someone decides to dump a slushie in my lap in addition to in my face, or pat me on the head like I'm a dog or something, and the staring makes me uncomfortable. But I've found out it helps a lot to joke around about it and put on this kind of bravado..." he smiled at a memory of Tina jokingly smacking him on the back of the head and calling him arrogant. "..and I appreciate irony. A lot."

"You...usually are happy? What's different now?" Ms. Pillsbury pressed.

"Bryan Ryan," Artie said flatly.

"What?"

"Bryan Ryan...he came in to talk to us for some reason. He told us to write down what our dreams were...and since apparently I've decided to be honest here...I thought he was going to give another one of those cheesy inspirational speeches like Mr. Schue gives all the time. I put down 'dancer' half for laughs."

"Half?"

"Well, I do like dancing. I watch So You Think You Can Dance, my favorites list on youtube consists entirely of flash mob videos, I joined decided not to mention the part about how he tries to dance around in his room sometimes, which sometimes ends with him falling out of the chair, which then leads to him playing the guitar instead.

"Okay, so you like dancing, and I know you're passionate about music. How does Bryan Ryan fit into all this?" Ms. Pillsbury seemed less nervous and professional now. Artie decided it was her wide eyes that pulled the truth out of him.

"Instead of giving a speech about how we can all attain the dream we wrote down," Artie cleared his throat awkwardly, "He told us we never would. He took mine and crumpled it up and threw it away. When he did that I couldn't help but think he took mine instead of someone else's because he thought mine _definitely_ wouldn't happen because I was in a wheelchair. I looked at everyone else and thought it was kind of true. Out of everyone, my dream of dancing was the least attainable. I guess it kind of threw me. Even though I was half serious in the first place, I became obsessed with my future and finding a legit dream, I guess. Then Tina started all this hoopla about dancing with her and gave me the research I brought to you. She kept bringing it up and talking about my future as a dancer and...I don't know. I got tangled up in it all."

Ms. Pillsbury studied him as he said his little speech and it made him slightly self-conscious. "So this 'bravado' you speak of covers true feelings, correct?" Wow, now she really was sounding like a shrink.

"Umm...no? Maybe?" Artie scrunched his nose up in confusion.

"We are trying to get down to your roots about whether you are happy with yourself and your wheelchair, which is where you need to be."

"Everyone keeps saying that. You think I haven't had discussions like this with people before? 'You have to be strong, Artie,' 'You have to get on with your life, Artie.' And I ___________do_. But shouldn't I be able to get sad sometimes? Be angry? I can't be upset that I can't dip my girlfriend all romantically like Mike Chang? I have to go to the guidance counselor for that?"

Ms. Pillsbury bit her lip again. "Artie, you came to my office like you expected to be walking again next year. And one of the teachers saw you on the floor in the choir room one afternoon crying."

Artie's mouth dropped open and his cheeks turned pink. "Was that Mr. Schue?"

Ms. Pillsbury shook her head.

"Great," Artie sighed and rubbed his eyes with irritation.

Ms. Pillsbury leaned forward on her desk. "Artie, I'm not saying these actions aren't exactly normal. It's not unexpected for you to have some problems with your condition. We-Mr. Schue, myself, the Glee Club-just want to help you."

"I just got sidetracked a little, that's all," Artie replied, tugging on one of his gloves nervously. I'm fine. I'll just go play some Michael Jackson on my electric guitar and everything will be just peachy."

"Why were you on the floor that day?" Ms. Pillsbury tried.

Artie sighed. "I was trying to dance with Tina by using crutches and it didn't work out. I fell in front of her and it was really embarrassing and I acted like a jerk afterward so I'd rather not think about it ever again if that's alright." He crossed his arms.

"Artie, using crutches like that takes time. Learning to dance takes time. You have to slow down. Some things aren't easy."

Artie's voice echoed in his head, "Dreams aren't supposed to be easy." He didn't even listen to his own advice.

Ms. Pillsbury brought him out of his reverie when she picked up a small pile of papers and tapped them on the desk. "I think this meeting is just about finished for today. I'd be interested for you to invest in some research tonight, Artie. Look up some people with injuries similar to your own and their stories. See if there are any about dance." She smiled and stood up to escort him to the door.

"So...I'm guessing I still have to see you next week?" Artie said, looking up at her.

"Yes, I think you should. Don't forget to bring that research with you. Have a good one, Artie."

Artie nodded and added a "You too," as he rolled down the hall.

A few days later he approached Tina and asked her if they could try to do a dance together again. For real this time.


	2. Pretty Face

That night after Artie's first official guidance meeting with Ms. Pillsbury, he was settled on his bed working on homework when he remembered her advice about looking up research about people with disabilities and dance. He put down his textbook and looked over at his closed laptop that was waiting beside him. He pushed the open book off his lap and pulled the laptop toward him and turned it on.

He opened up his youtube page. He often used youtube to send and receive funny videos from his friends, look at videos from his shows, flash mobs, but he decided to do something different tonight. He typed "wheelchair dancing" into the search box.

It's not that he'd never heard of wheelchair dancing before. He knew of it and that's why he decided to join Glee after his parents' suggestion. He enjoyed his dancing in Glee, he just wished he could do more. He pushed away the image of Mike dipping Tina in his mind. But when he saw the results that came up on his screen he had to say he was a little surprised.

He clicked one of the videos that appeared to be a wheelchair dance competition. It was a montage of dancers dancing to samba, waltz, etc. Artie was impressed by the dancers, but what he really noticed was that they all had able-bodied partners. He finished the video and clicked on another video that was a news segment about American DanceWheels.

For the next few hours he looked at more videos and visited websites (while printing those out for his next meeting with Ms. Pillsbury). Finally, he turned his computer off and went to sleep after his mother came in and asked him why he was still awake. Well, he _sort of_ went to sleep; he took out his ipod and started searching for and listening to songs he had about dancing.

Artie woke up the next morning for a plan to work on during the weekend. His mother was amused by his apparent energy and excitement during breakfast since she knew how late he was up (or she thought she did).

"What are you so happy about?" she cooed after seeing him tearing into his pancakes.

Artie swallowed.

"Can't tell you yet," he said with a smile.

"You're teasing me now, eh? Nothing bad I hope. I know how crazy you can be," she said with a smirk.

Artie rolled his eyes. Then he proceeded to say in one fast breath, "Awesome breakfast, Mom, thanks, love you, gotta run!" And he was gone.

–

It was finally Monday. Before classes started for the morning, Artie rolled up to Tina, who was at her locker.

"Hey girl," he said while slipping his hand into hers.

Tina paused in looking at herself in her locker mirror and smiled at him. "Hey, you."

"How was your weekend?" Artie asked casually.

Tina sighed. "Busy. I had that family gathering I told you about. It wasn't too bad. How about you?"

"Nothing eventful," Artie said quickly. "Hey, listen, stay a little longer after Glee with me, okay? I have an idea to run by you."

Tina raised her eyebrows in surprise and curiosity. "What are you up to?"

"You'll have to find out," Artie said slyly.

"Okay, Mr. Mysterious. It's a date." She bent down and kissed him.

–

After everyone left the choir room later that day Artie turned to his girlfriend, who sat turned to face him. She had her elbows on her knees, chin in hands, and was looking at him expectantly. "Okay, Mr. Mysterious, what's this idea of yours?"

Artie smiled. "Tina, remember when you tried to get me to dance with you?"

Tina's expression faltered a little as she guessed his idea, but she smiled. "Yeah?"

"I was thinking we should give it another try."

Tina sat up, smile still on her face, but she looked a little worried. "Not that I'm not happy you finally want to dance with me, but I don't want a repeat of...you know." She shifted uncomfortably.

Artie's expression softened. "I know. But, as much as I thought it wouldn't, the meeting with Ms. Pillsbury got me thinking. I was really stupid to give up so easily on our number. I enjoy dancing in Glee and thought I did the most I could, but that's not really true. I did some research and I want to try to do more. I think we should 'kick it up a few notches' as you like to say."

Tina laughed. "Hmm..."

"You can tap if you want. Hold on, I have a song picked out that may convince you." He rolled over to the CD player that he placed on the piano earlier. "I'll have to work at getting my voice to fit this song, but...He pressed the play button and instruments instantly began blaring.

Artie rolled forward while making a motion that suggested he was putting an imaginary hat on. Then he began singing with Frank Sinatra's voice.

"_Hey there cutes put on your dancing boots and come dance with me..._" He put on a grin, rolled backwards a bit while moving his shoulders forward and back, and made a gesture with his finger that suggested to Tina that she should come towards him. "_Come dance with me, what an evening for some Terpsichore_."

Tina giggled and walked over to him, taking his hand. "_Pretty face, I know a swingin' place, come dance with me._" She stepped out and then twirled away from him until their grasping arms were outstretched, and then she twirled back.

Artie pulled her hand up and then began spinning under their raised arms. They weren't really going well with the music, and often were just trying random things, unsure what the other wanted to do. Tina leaned low on his arm rest and kicked up her legs a bit.

Artie seized the moment and took hold of her shoulders and slowly and gently pulled her back until she was in his lap. He took one of her hands in his and put his other hand on her back that was slightly hanging off the other side of him and held her up. He looked down at her slightly surprised face.

"_And while the rhythm swings, what cuckoo things I'll be sayin', for what is dancing, making love set to music, playin'_" he sang softly, almost not loud enough for her to hear it over Frank. The two just stared at one another as the song continued in the background. Tina arched her neck back to complete the move. She looked back up and reached up and cupped her hand around his cheek while she smiled. Artie then lifted her back up and she spun around until she was on his other side.

"_When the band begins to leave the stand and folks start to roam, as we wing home, cheek to cheek we'll be._" Tina bent down and pulled him close so that their faces were slightly touching. She put one hand in his and slowly guided them to start moving back and forth.

After a few more awkward improvised dances, the song finally ended and the duo was breathing heavily with excitement. "Um," Artie adjusted his glasses, "yeah, like that. Only planned and better choreographed."

"Artie!" Tina exclaimed. "You dipped me."

Artie chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, sort of. That was something I saw in a youtube video during my research. I hope it wasn't uncomfortable..."

"It was perfect," Tina said looking down at him with somewhat watery eyes. She suddenly pulled him into a hug and then started frantically kissing him on the cheek and neck. Artie looked bewildered.

Tina straightened up again. "This was a great idea, Artie. I can't wait to start working on it with you!" She squeezed his shoulder affectionately before turning for her bag and heading to the door. She turned back to look at him again. "I should go now, but I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Okay," Artie said, still dazed.


End file.
